Latest on the AW 609?
Thread Starter
Latest on the AW 609?
I haven't heard any news on this very interesting and seemingly capable aircraft
in some time, any one have information ?
Further insights and opinions welcome.
in some time, any one have information ?
Further insights and opinions welcome.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 416 Likes
on
219 Posts
I was excited about the 609 project when I first heard about it and was very keen to get a chance to fly it. But that was in about 1979, not long after the start of my flying career. I'm not convinced I'm ever going to get the chance; my wife keeps telling me it's time to book me into the local care home......
Yaaar back in the mid Eighties when I was doing my theory for CPL(H) the Teacher told the class....we'd be flying this Baby by the time we are licensed, because this WAS the future 
Not sure which future he was referring too 
almost 30 years later........................still waiting 
Not sure which future he was referring too almost 30 years later........................still waiting
Shy....same here....and having both Fixed and Helicopter ATPL....was sat there thinking Beech King Air's would be a thing of the past when the 609 came into being. But then....its bigger brother started way back in the 1950's and took almost forty years for it to make it out onto the Tarmac.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The AW609 is indeed a very elegant aircraft design. Unfortunately, for the commercial market it faces some hurdles. The total number of customers for this particular rotorcraft is a bit limited. Hard to justify the huge investment required given the limited potential production numbers.
Limited potential production of this model, but once the tech is proven, why not upscale? Perhaps that is the end game?
There still seems to be customer interest and orders confirmed. Enough to break even? Who knows. But enough that Leonardo think it worth moving forward with. Perhaps the 15 pax AW709 (I'm making that up!) will sell more frames and offset the losses (if any) from the AW609 program.
Kind of like how the 189 borrowed a lot from the 139 (as did the 169).
There still seems to be customer interest and orders confirmed. Enough to break even? Who knows. But enough that Leonardo think it worth moving forward with. Perhaps the 15 pax AW709 (I'm making that up!) will sell more frames and offset the losses (if any) from the AW609 program.
Kind of like how the 189 borrowed a lot from the 139 (as did the 169).
Why? The cockpit of the 189 and 169 are modeled off of the 139. The dynamic component layout is also taken from the 139 and modified for the 189 (which is one reason why the MR Lag Damper issue affects the 139 AND the 189). The 139 is the first AW member of the new "family". Words taken from Leonardo themselves. I'm not saying that the 169 or 189 will make more money than the 139. The 189 certainly won't. The market for that size helo is not as big as the 139 market.
So what needs to be reviewed????
So what needs to be reviewed????
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Clevedon
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not good 
In this day and age I would have thought that CFD + wind tunnel would have covered the entire flight envelope. It would seem, reading between the lines, that not all required testing was actually performed...
In this day and age I would have thought that CFD + wind tunnel would have covered the entire flight envelope. It would seem, reading between the lines, that not all required testing was actually performed...
Report here - pretty grim: http://www.ansv.it/cgi-bin/ita/Relazione N609AG.pdf
Or this one in English
Over-reliance on SIMRX combined with modifications with no functional explanation (at least stated within the report).
I guess I was closer than I thought with my original assessments
I guess I was closer than I thought with my original assessments
While Leonardo awaits FAA certification of its AW609 civil tiltrotor next year, the company has asked the FAA to waive the agency's requirement for one (1) flight-based touchdown autorotation and to permit the company to use a simulator instead.
Dan Wells, Leonardo's AW609 test pilot, told R&WI Oct. 12 that the company believes it can demonstrate the touchdown autorotation by using the company simulator, rather than run the risk of damaging an AW609 and its parts.
Full article see here Rotor & Wing 12 Oct 2018
Dan Wells, Leonardo's AW609 test pilot, told R&WI Oct. 12 that the company believes it can demonstrate the touchdown autorotation by using the company simulator, rather than run the risk of damaging an AW609 and its parts.
Full article see here Rotor & Wing 12 Oct 2018